Police in Birmingham are searching for two car thieves who drove off with two young children still strapped into the back of the vehicle.

The 23-year-old mother of the children was pulled from behind the wheel of her white Vauxhall Astra in Erdington on Wednesday night by two men who then stole the car, West Midlands Police said.

Her two children, aged five years and 18 months, were driven for about half a mile before being left, unhurt, at the side of the road.

A passer-by found them and they were quickly reunited with their mother.

West Midlands Police Detective Sergeant Julie Woods, said: "The car is a white Vauxhall Astra, registration KV60 BNX, and had blacked-out windows; we want to know where this car is and are asking for anyone who believes they may have spotted it to contact us.

"This was a frightening ordeal for the mum who saw her young children being driven off by the car thieves, but thankfully they were back with her unhurt in just a matter of minutes. The mum was also unhurt."

Police are going through CCTV footage from the area in an attempt to work out where the stolen Astra was taken.

Anyone with information about the robbery or has seen the car is asked to call the 101 police non-emergency number or contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111.